Advertising or novelty device

ABSTRACT

A device for use in the field of advertising or as a novelty. The device comprises a rolled strip of plastic or the like that is preshaped to wrap around a can, such as a soft drink can. The exposed surface thereof would be printed with advertising matter or something novel. The unexposed surface which contacts the can would have at least a portion thereof coated with a plastic foam which serves as an insulator against heat transfer and reduces the formation of condensation.

United States Patent Vander Schaaf ADVERTISING OR NOVELTY DEVICE [76]Inventor: Clair D. Vander Schaaf, 4019 S. Lakewood Dr., Memphis, Tenn.38128 [221 Filed: Jan. 8, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 1,517

52 us. Cl. 40/306 [51] Int. Cl. G09f 3/00 [58] Field of Search 40/306,316

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I 1,295,300 2/1919 Gaiibert40/306 1,756,944 5/1930 Gorton 2,929,161 3/1960 Kuyk 3,401,475 9/1968Morehouse et a1. 40/306 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 683,012 2/1930France 40/21 R 1 June 4, 1974 1,347,102 11/1963 France ,.40/306 PrimaryExaminer-Robert W. Michell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John R. Walker, 111

57 ABSTRACT A device for use in the field of advertising or as anovcity. The device comprises a rolled strip of plastic or the like thatis preshaped to wrap around a can, such as a soft drink can. The exposedsurface thereof would be printed with advertising matter or somethingnovel. The unexposed surface which contacts the can would have at leasta portion thereof coated with a plastic foam which serves as aninsulator against heat transfer and reduces the formation ofcondensation.

" 1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures BQlQBOl PATENTED 4 INVENTOR. CLAIR D.VANDER SCHAAF ADVERTISING OR NOVELTY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention: This invention relates to a devicemade use of for advertising purposes or as a novelty.

2. Description of the Prior Art: There are many advertising or noveltydevices being marketed today. Some in the form of mugs, such as a mughaving the cylindrical exterior resembling a can of nationally knownsoup, or a can of nationally known coffee. etc. The

Rush U.S. Pat. No. 2,081,409 is a beverage bottle SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION The present invention is directed towards providing a rolledstrip of plastic or the like that is preshaped to wrap around a can suchas a soft drink can. The plastic strip having coiled resiliency isself-holding when placed around the cylindrical exterior of a soft drinkcan or the like. When it is installed on a can, it has an authenticappearance so that no one notices that it isnt the original label. Afeature of the invention is that it may be removed and used on othercans, e.g., the device having the outward appearances of the advertisingmatter appearing on a nationally known beer label could he removed fromthe beer can and placed on a soft drink can; the soft drink can nowhaving the outward appearances of a can of beer. There are no limits tothe variety of matter which may be superimposed on the device. A fewgeneral groupings are l advertising of all forms; (2) decorative matterwhich may be used to cover a seemingly obnoxious can to be laterdisplayed prominently; (3) it may be used as a novelty whereon somethingcomical or risque may appear; (4) it may be used when provided in setsto distinguish one can from another, e.g., a group of people alldrinking beverages from cans such as at a picnic or patio party, eachperson would have a device of the present invention wrapped around hisbeverage can which would distinguish it from any of the others. This maybe in the form of different colors or numbers or both distinguishingcolors and numbers combined.

Another feature of the present invention is that plastic foam strips,such as polyurethane, are adhered to the back side of the device. Theseplastic foam strips prevent the back side of the device from makingtotal surface to surface contact with the can, thuscreating an airpocketwhich serves as an insulator against heat transfer and reduces theamount of condensation which normally forms on a cold surface.

Another embodiment of the device would include having substantially theentire back side covered with a thin film of foam plastic such aspolyurethane and which accomplishes the same purpose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of thedevice depicting the shape it assumes when placed around a can, the canhaving been removed for clarity.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a side elevation of the device, the canbeing phantomized to show certain relationships.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device as it would appear when forced tolay flat, and with the exterior surface facing up.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken as on line lV-IV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken as on line Vl\/l of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken as on line VII-VII of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the device showing the shape which theresiliency causes the device to assume when at rest and displaced from acan.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to the upper right hand portion ofFIG. 2, but showing another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The advertising or noveltydevice 11 of the present invention has a body portion 12 which is formedof rolled strip plastic, such as polyethelene or thelike, and isintended to be wrapped around a typical beverage can 13 or the like. Thebody 12 has an inherent inward urging resiliency which causes it toassume a voluted shape when disassocated from a can 13 and at rest, asbest viewed in FIG. 8. Body portion 12 is relatively thin, and has aninner surface 15 and an outer surface 17. The outer surface 17 isintended to have permanently superimposed thereon certain indicia ormatter such as decorative, advertising, novelty or other distinguishingmatter, one form of which is indicated as at 18. The decorative mattermay be elaborate or simply colorful, in which case it would preferablybe used to cover a can which, in its'prior appearance was seeminglyoffensive but may now be displayed with pride, e.g., cleanser cans inthe bathroom or Parmesan cheese cans for the dinner table. Theadvertising matter may be a replica of a typical label used on anycommodity packaged in cans for marketing, e.g., a nationally known beercan, soft drink can, soup can or the like. The device 11 could beincluded as an additional label by the company concerned as apromotional item, in which case it would be the desire of the companyconcerned that the device 11 would be removed and used to cover othercans, i.e., placing the device 11 having a well known beer label thereonaround a soft drink can. The device 11 may be used as a novelty by beingsuperimposed with a clever image, a comical saying, risque phrase or awitty combination thereof. The device ll could be used as adistinguishing feature by having a set comprising a plurality with eachhaving distinguishing features, i.e., at a picnic or patio party whereseveral people are drinking beverages from cans, each being wrapped witha different colored and/or numbered device 11 as an identifying feature.

The inner surface 15 of the device 11 has two insulating strips ofplastic foam 19, 21, such as polyurethane,

bonded thereto. The one strip 19 is positioned adjacent the upper edge23, and is spaced below the edge 23 by a dimension substantially equalto the thickness of the upper annular sealing crimp 25 of the can 13.The other strip 21 is positioned adjacent the lower edge 27 and isspaced above the edge 27 by a distance substantially equal to thethickness of the lower annular sealing crimp 29 of the can 13. Ifdesired, the upper edge 23 of body portion 12 may terminate just belowthe crimp 25, as shown in FIG. 9, and similarly the lower edge 27 mayterminate just above the lower edge 27, in which case the strips 19, 21would not be spaced from the edges 23, 27 and would preferably bethinner, as shown by the strip 19 in FIG. 9.

The body 12 is provided with a marginal tab 31 which is integrallyformed with body 12 and projects beyond the edge 32 of the body. The tab31 is shorter in its vertical dimension than body 12 and is centeredvertically relative to the body so that the upper edge 31 of tab 31 isspaced below the edge 23 by substantially the same amount that loweredge 31" of tab 31 is spaced above edge 27. Also, the vertical dimensionof tab 31 is preferably slightly less than the distance between strips19, 21, for a purpose later to be described. The ends 20, 22 of strips19, 21 are preferably flush with the margin or edge 32 of body 12 andthe opposite ends 20, 22' of the strips are preferably flush with theouter limit of margin 33 of body 12. The foam strips 19, 21 prevent thebody 12 from making total surface to surface contact of the body 12 withthe cylindrical surface of the can 13, thus, substantially trapping apocket of dead air between the cylindrical surface of the can 13 and theinner surface of the body 12, which serves as an insulator against heattransfer and reduces the tendency for condensation to form on thesurface 17 of the body 12. Accordingly, an iced drink tends to remaincold until consumed and the cylindrical gripping surface 17 of the body12 is not unpleasantly cold to the users fingers. The portion of margin33 between strips 19, 21 overlaps tab 31 which preferably has an offset35, the dimension of which corresponds to the thickness of the materialforming the body 12 so that a smooth uninterrupted surface is presentedto the users hands.

A second embodiment, depicted in FIG. 5, comprises identical structureas heretofore disclosed but with this difference: The foam strips 19, 21are replaced with an insulating foam backing 37 which substantiallycovers the surface 15 of the device 11. The plastic foam 37 is spacedinwardly from the outer limit or edge of margin 33 by an amountsubstantially equal to the width of the tab 31 so that foam 37 will notinterfere with the positioning of tab 31 under margin 33. The bondedfoam plastic 37 is set in from the upper and lower margins 23, 27 adistance substantially equal to the thickness of the upper and lowerannular sealing crimps 25, 29 forming an upper and lower edge 39, 41having substantial identical relationship with the body portion 12 asdoes the corresponding edges of the upper and lower plastic form strips19, 21 with the body portion 12 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. However, ifdesired, the relationship of the foam to the upper and lower edges ofthe body 12 maybe as heretofore described relative to FIG. 9. Theplastic foam 37, being formed of polyurethane or the like, substantiallytraps air within its numerous cells which provides an insulator betweenthe cylindrical surface of the can 13 and the body 14. This minimizesheat transfer and reduces the tendency for condensation to form on thecylindrical surface 17 of the body 12. Accordingly, a cold drink tendsto remain cold, and the cylindrical gripping surface 17 of the body 12is not unpleasantly cold to the users fingers.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respectto preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that it is notto be so limited since changes and modifications may be made thereinwhich are within the full intended scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In combination; a can having an exterior cylindrical surface, anupper annular sealing crimp, and a lower annular sealing crimp; a devicecomprising a discontinuous body portion having opposite end margins,said body portion covering said exterior cylindrical surface with saidmargins being adjacent one another and said body portion extending fromadjacent said upper sealing crimp to a place adjacent said lower sealingcrimp, said body portion being formed of a resilient material ofsubstantially rectangular configuration when held flat and having aninherent tendency to move to a convolute disposition when unrestrainedwhereby said body portion is urged in gripping relationship to said canto removably hold said body portion in place on said can, said bodyportion having indicia imposed on the exterior surface thereof, and saidbody portion including a tab projecting beyond one end margin of saidbody portion, said tab being offset a distance substantially equal tothe thickness of said body portion, and removably fitting under themargin of said body portion at the opposite end thereof from said tab. l

1. In combination; a can having an exterior cylindrical surface, anupper annular sealing crimp, and a lower annular sealing crimp; a devicecomprising a discontinuous body portion having opposite end margins,said body portion covering said exterior cylindrical surface with saidmargins being adjacent one another and said body portion extending fromadjacent said upper sealing crimp to a place adjacent said lower sealingcrimp, said body portion being formed of a resilient material ofsubstantially rectangular configuration when held flat and having aninherent tendency to move to a convoLute disposition when unrestrainedwhereby said body portion is urged in gripping relationship to said canto removably hold said body portion in place on said can, said bodyportion having indicia imposed on the exterior surface thereof, and saidbody portion including a tab projecting beyond one end margin of saidbody portion, said tab being offset a distance substantially equal tothe thickness of said body portion, and removably fitting under themargin of said body portion at the opposite end thereof from said tab.